for the love of democracy

Last night's Q and A was some of the most thrilling television I have seen in a while. I should mention that before I watched Q and A, I watched Neighbours for the first time in a year, and anything is more riveting than that.

Former Prime Minister John Howard was on the show in order to promote his new autobiography. The show began, and looked like it was going to be as dry and often embarassing as his years in power were. But lucky for the viewers, Q and A had a few surprises in store. I will admit, I was playing Solitaire on my phone while listening and not paying close attention. Howard doesn't seem to have changed one iota in the three years he's been gone, and I guess I wasn't really that interested in what he had to say. Until Tony Jones just happened to mention that none other than David Hicks had a video question for him.

I have to admire the sheer balls of Q and A. I also have to admire our democracy. In Howard's own words (or rather, his deflection of Hicks' question) "isn't it a great country that allows this kind of exchange to occur". What a country we live in, where technology provides us with a means of holding our country's leader's to account. Now, if only they would take some responsibility for their actions, then we might really be getting somewhere. We may be some sort of progressive country that goes places and really achieves things. Sadly, this doesn't look to be the case. Howard was on the defensive again last night, and his default answer was that no matter what, he and Tony Abbott had set up the economy so well that it survived the GFC.

Well done sir! Of course, economy is important, I am well and truly past my days of pretending like it doesn't matter. My immaturity has been replaced by reality and practibility. Surely, though, human life is of equal importance? And since when does pleading guilty make it okay to be tortured and detained without charge? Howard did many great things for our country, the economy being just one of them, but there was many more than disappointing moments in his 11 years as Prime Minister. Last night, in his reasoning for not apologising for the Stolen Generation, Howard had this to say "you apologise for something for which you are responsible. I mean, you express regret or sorrow in relation to something that, you know, upset you." I wonder then about this man's humanity. Last night he clearly expressed very little regret in regards to any of the mistakes and misdemeanors by himself and his Government.

In essence, I am glad he no longer runs this country. Not to say that anyone else is going to do a better job, but after last night's informative and exciting televisual experience (let's not forget the shoe!), I am simply peaceful that the man who in the worst moment disguises his humanity is no longer running the show.